Newsletter

Athens delegation halts referendum

ATLANTA — The Athens legislative delegation announced today it put the brakes on a referendum that would have asked voters how many city and school-board districts they preferred.

Sen. Bill Cowsert’s office issued an announcement of a unanimous agreement to suspend General Assembly consideration of House Bill 804 that would have set up the vote during next month’s presidential-preference primary. The decision came after a meeting between the lawmakers and Mayor Nancy Denson, Elections Superintendent Gail Schrader and County Attorney Bill Berryman and Mayor Pro Tem Andy Herod. Denson and Herod participated by phone.

The local officials explained that they oppose the referendum because of its expense and staff demands.

“The delegation was disappointed at the local government’s opposition to the referendum,” according to the news release.

The lawmakers still must introduce legislation designing the district lines for the Athens-Clarke commission and school board. At issue is whether to continue with eight distinct districts and two super districts that overlap them or whether to have no super districts.

Local officials prefer the existing super-district structure while Rep. Doug McKillip, R-Athens, champions smaller districts that would make it more likely for political minorities to win a seat.

The U.S. Constitution requires governments to revise their districts every 10 years to reflect change in population.